KR20080010031A - Ultrasound system and method for forming ultrasound image - Google Patents

Abstract

An ultrasound system and a method for forming an ultrasound image are provided to perform an accurate diagnosis and to reduce a diagnostic time by comparing and analyzing a brightness-mode image, a color Doppler mode, and a plurality of Doppler spectra. An ultrasound system(100) for forming an ultrasound image includes an input unit(120), a signal acquiring unit, an image signal forming unit, a displaying unit. The input unit receives first setting information to set a color box in a brightness-mode image of an object and second setting information to set a plurality of sample volumes. The signal acquiring unit transmits an ultrasound signal to the object, receives the ultrasound signal reflected from the object, acquires an image signal of the brightness-mode image, acquires a first Doppler signal of the color box based on the first setting information, and acquires a second Doppler signal of each sample volume based on the second setting information. The image signal forming unit forms a Doppler spectrum signal of each sample volume based on the second Doppler signal. The displaying unit displays the brightness mode image, a color flow image, and a doppler spectrum.

Description

ULTRASOUND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FORMING ULTRASOUND IMAGE

1 is an exemplary view showing an example of simultaneously displaying a conventional B-mode image, a color Doppler image and a Doppler spectrum.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a timing diagram for obtaining an image signal of a B-mode image, a first Doppler signal of a color box, and a second Doppler signal of each sample volume according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a flowchart showing an ultrasound image forming procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is an exemplary view showing an example of simultaneously displaying a B-mode image, a color Doppler image and a Doppler spectrum according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100: ultrasound system 110: diagnostic unit

120: input unit 130: control unit

140: processor 150: output unit

The present invention relates to an ultrasound system, and more particularly, to an ultrasound system and method for forming an ultrasound image.

Ultrasound systems are being used as one of the important diagnostic systems that are used in various applications. In particular, ultrasound systems are widely used in the medical field because they have non-invasive and non-destructive properties for the subject. Modern high performance ultrasound systems and techniques have been used to generate two-dimensional or three-dimensional images of the internal shape of a subject (eg, internal organs of a patient).

Ultrasound systems generally use wideband transducers to transmit and receive ultrasound signals. The ultrasound system electrically stimulates an acoustic transducer or an array of acoustic transducers to generate an ultrasonic signal transmitted to the human body to form an image of internal tissue. The ultrasonic signal is reflected from the human tissue discontinuous in the direction in which the ultrasonic signal propagates to generate an ultrasonic echo signal. Various ultrasonic echo signals are transmitted to transducers and converted into electrical signals. Amplified and signal processed by the converted electrical signal to generate ultrasound image data for the image of the tissue. Ultrasound systems are very important in the medical field because they can provide doctors with real-time and high-resolution images of the internal tissues of the human body without the use of techniques for invading human tissue such as surgical procedures.

On the other hand, the ultrasound system uses the Doppler Effect to measure the movement speed of the red blood cells in the blood vessel or the movement of the heart. 1 is an exemplary view showing an example of simultaneously displaying a B-mode image 11, a color Doppler image 12, and a Doppler spectrum 13. When the user sets the color box (CB) and the sample volume (SV) on the B-mode image 11 by using an input means (for example, a track ball), the ultrasound system generates a Doppler signal corresponding to the color box (CB). , Obtain a color Doppler image 12 based on the obtained Doppler signal, obtain a Doppler signal corresponding to the sample volume SV, and form a Doppler spectrum 13 based on the obtained Doppler signal. .

As such, the ultrasound system is a mode for providing a plurality of ultrasound images (hereinafter referred to as multi-mode), for example, B-mode (Brightness Mode), C-mode (Color Doppler Mode) and D-. In a complex mode that simultaneously provides an ultrasound image of a mode (Doppler Mode), a Doppler spectrum of one sample volume may be provided to a B-mode image.

However, the conventional ultrasound system has a problem in that at least two sample volumes cannot be set in the B-mode image in the complex mode, and thus the Doppler spectrum of each sample volume cannot be simultaneously provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and in an ultrasound system and method for setting at least two sample volumes on a B-mode image in a complex mode providing a plurality of ultrasound images, and providing a Doppler spectrum for each sample volume. The purpose is to provide.

In order to achieve the above object, the ultrasound system of the present invention is an input unit for receiving the first setting information for setting the color box on the B-mode image of the object and the second setting information for setting a plurality of sample volumes from the user ; Transmitting an ultrasound signal to the object, receiving an ultrasound signal reflected from the object, obtaining an image signal of the B-mode image, and acquiring a first Doppler signal of the color box based on the first setting information A signal obtaining unit for obtaining a second Doppler signal of each of the plurality of sample volumes based on the second setting information; Forming a B-mode video signal based on the video signal, forming a color flow video signal based on the first Doppler signal, and forming a Doppler spectral signal of each sample volume based on the second Doppler signal. An image signal forming unit; And a display unit for displaying a B-mode image, a color flow image, and a Doppler spectrum based on the B-mode image signal, the color flow image signal, and the Doppler spectrum signal.

In addition, the ultrasonic image forming method of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) obtaining an image signal for forming a B-mode image of the object; b) forming and displaying the B-mode image based on the image signal; c) receiving, from a user, first setting information for setting a color box on the B-mode image and second setting information for setting a plurality of sample volumes; And d) forming and displaying a color flow image of the color box and a Doppler spectrum of each sample volume based on the first and second setting information.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. In this embodiment, as an example of a mode for providing a plurality of ultrasound images (hereinafter, referred to as a composite mode), a B-mode for providing a B-mode image (Brightness Mode) and a C- for providing a color flow image A composite mode including a mode (Color Doppler Mode) or P-mode (Power Doppler Mode), and a D-mode (Doppler Mode) for providing the Doppler spectrum will be described. Here, the color flow image includes a color Doppler image and a power Doppler image. For convenience of description, a composite mode including B-mode, C-mode and D-mode as a composite mode is described below.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the ultrasound system 100 according to the present invention includes a diagnosis unit 110, an input unit 120, a control unit 130, a processor 140, and an output unit 150.

The diagnosis unit 110 transmits an ultrasound signal to an object to form an ultrasound image, receives an ultrasound signal reflected from the object, and sets an image signal for forming a B-mode image of the object and a B-mode image. And a second Doppler signal of each of the at least two sample volumes set in the B-mode image. The diagnosis unit 110 transmits and focuses a multi-dimensional electronic array probe (not shown) including a plurality of transducers and an ultrasound signal transmitted by the transducer of the probe to the object. And a beam former (not shown) for receiving and focusing the ultrasonic signal by applying a time delay to the ultrasonic signal reflected from the transducer. Here, the multidimensional electrical array probe typically includes a 2D electrical array probe.

The input unit 120 receives setting information of the color box and at least two sample volumes set in the B-mode image from the user. Here, the color box setting information includes size information and position information of the color box, and the sample volume setting information includes the number information of the sample volume, the size information and the position information of each sample volume.

The controller 130 controls ultrasound transmission and reception through the diagnosis unit 110. That is, the controller 130 may transmit and receive ultrasound signals for acquiring an image signal of a B-mode image for an object, ultrasound signals for acquiring a first Doppler signal of a color box set in the B-mode image, and B-mode images. Ultrasonic transmission and reception for controlling the second Doppler signal of each of the set at least two sample volumes is controlled. The controller 130 controls the formation of the B-mode image signal, the color Doppler image signal, the Doppler spectrum signal, and the Doppler sound signal through the processor 140, and the B-mode image and the color Doppler image through the output unit 150. And control the output of the Doppler spectrum and the output of the Doppler sound.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, in case of setting two sample volumes SV1 and SV2 in a B-mode image in a composite mode (ie, B-mode, C-mode, and D-mode), the controller 130 As shown in FIG. 3, ultrasonic transceiving (B) for acquiring an image signal of a B-mode image, ultrasonic transceiving (C) for acquiring a first Doppler signal of a color box set to the B-mode image, and B Ultrasonic transmission and reception D1 and D2 for obtaining the second Doppler signal of each of the sample volumes SV1 and SV2 set in the mode image are controlled. In the present embodiment, the number of sample volumes set for the B-mode image has been described as two, but in another embodiment, transmission and reception of an ultrasonic signal may be appropriately controlled according to the number of sample volumes set for the B-mode image. .

The processor 140 forms a B-mode image signal based on the image signal acquired through the diagnosis unit 110, forms a color Doppler image signal based on the first Doppler signal, and based on the second Doppler signal. A Doppler spectral signal and a Doppler sound signal are formed for each sample volume. In this case, the processor 140 may provide a general Doppler spectrum and / or a Tissue Doppler Spectrum for each sample volume according to a user's request input from the input unit 120.

The output unit 150 includes an image output unit 151 and a sound output unit 152 as shown.

The image output unit 151 receives the B-mode image signal, the color Doppler image signal, and the Doppler spectrum signal from the processor 140, and displays the B-mode image, the color Doppler image, and the Doppler spectrum. For example, the image output unit 151 displays the B-mode image 221 and the color Doppler image 231 of the color box CB in the screen area 211 as shown in FIG. The Doppler spectrum 241 of the volume SV1 is displayed in the screen area 212a and the Doppler spectrum 242 of the sample volume SV2 is displayed in the screen area 212b.

The sound output unit 152 includes a plurality of speakers. Time-splitting the sound of each sample volume through a plurality of speakers may be output sequentially, or sound of each sample volume may be output through different speakers.

Hereinafter, a procedure of forming an ultrasound image will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, when an image signal for forming a B-mode image is obtained through the diagnosis unit 110 (S102), the processor 140 may generate a B-mode image signal based on the acquired image signal. In operation S104, the image output unit 151 of the output unit 150 receives the B-mode image signal from the processor 140 and displays the B-mode image (S106).

The controller 130 determines whether the setting information of the sample volume and the setting information of the color box are input from the user through the input unit 120 (S108).

If it is determined in step S108 that the setting information of the sample volume and the color box is not input, the controller 130 waits until the setting information of the sample volume and the color box is input through the input unit 120.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S108 that the setting information of the sample volume and the color box is input, the controller 130 sets the sample volume and the color box on the B-mode image based on the setting information of the sample volume and the color box ( S110), and control the transmission and reception of the ultrasonic signal through the diagnostic unit 110 based on the sample volume and the color box setting information (S112), through the diagnostic unit 110, the image signal of the B-mode image, the color box The first Doppler signal and the second Doppler signal of each sample volume are controlled to be obtained (S114).

The processor 140 forms a B-mode image signal based on the image signal acquired through the diagnosis unit 110, forms a color flow image signal based on the first Doppler signal, and based on the second Doppler signal. A Doppler spectrum signal and a Doppler sound signal of each sample volume are formed (S116).

The image output unit 151 receives the B-mode image signal, the color flow image signal, and the Doppler spectrum signal from the processor 140, displays the B-mode image, the color flow image, and the Doppler spectrum, and outputs the sound output unit 152. ) Receives the Doppler sound signal and outputs the Doppler sound (S118). For example, the image output unit 151 displays the B-mode image 221 and the color Doppler image 231 of the color box CB in the screen area 211 as shown in FIG. The Doppler spectrum 241 of the volume SV1 is displayed in the screen area 212a and the Doppler spectrum 242 of the sample volume SV2 is displayed in the screen area 212b.

Subsequently, the controller 130 determines whether the ultrasonic image forming process according to the present embodiment is terminated (S120). If it is determined that the ultrasonic image forming process is not finished, the controller 130 returns to step S102 and the ultrasonic image forming process ends. If it is determined to be, the ultrasound image forming process being executed in the ultrasound system 100 ends.

While the invention has been described and illustrated by way of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, in a complex mode providing a plurality of ultrasound images, at least two sample volumes may be set in the B-mode image, thereby providing at least two Doppler spectra. Accordingly, the user can compare and analyze the B-mode image, the color flow image (color Doppler image or power Doppler image) and the multiple Doppler spectra to make a more accurate diagnosis and shorten the diagnosis time.

Claims (9)

An input unit configured to receive, from a user, first setting information for setting a color box on a B-mode image of an object and second setting information for setting a plurality of sample volumes; Transmitting an ultrasound signal to the object, receiving an ultrasound signal reflected from the object, obtaining an image signal of the B-mode image, and acquiring a first Doppler signal of the color box based on the first setting information A signal obtaining unit for obtaining a second Doppler signal of each of the plurality of sample volumes based on the second setting information; Forming a B-mode video signal based on the video signal, forming a color flow video signal based on the first Doppler signal, and forming a Doppler spectral signal of each sample volume based on the second Doppler signal. An image signal forming unit; And A display unit for displaying a B-mode image, a color flow image, and a Doppler spectrum based on the B-mode image signal, the color flow image signal, and the Doppler spectrum signal Ultrasound system comprising a. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the first setting information includes size information and position information of the color box. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the second setting information includes number information of sample volumes, and size and position information of each sample volume. The ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the color flow image comprises a color Doppler image and a power Doppler image. a) obtaining an image signal for forming a B-mode image of the object; b) forming and displaying the B-mode image based on the image signal; c) receiving, from a user, first setting information for setting a color box on the B-mode image and second setting information for setting a plurality of sample volumes; And d) forming and displaying a color flow image of the color box and a Doppler spectrum of each sample volume based on the first and second setting information; Ultrasonic image forming method comprising a. The method of claim 5, wherein step d) d1) controlling acquisition of a first Doppler signal corresponding to the color box and a second Doppler signal corresponding to each sample volume based on the first and second setting information; d2) forming and displaying the color flow image based on the first Doppler signal; And d3) forming and displaying a Doppler spectrum of each sample volume based on the second Doppler signal Ultrasonic image forming method comprising a. The method of claim 6, wherein the color flow image comprises a color Doppler image and a power Doppler image. The method of claim 5, wherein the first setting information includes size information and position information of the color box. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second setting information includes number information of sample volumes, size information, and position information of each sample volume.

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